Failure to Act on Immigration Reform Puts Us in Danger

Decisions always have a consequence. That’s what I told my daughter as she was growing up. Make a decision to do something but, realize, you must then live with the consequences. I’m left wondering if Washington politicians had mothers who taught them the same lesson.

The consequence of Washington’s long-term failure to fix our fractured immigration policy just keeps getting more dangerous. The upshot for the rest of us? Ticking human time bombs walking among us.

For more than three years the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement division (ICE) has been forced to release thousands of deportation-ready criminal immigrants out on to American streets. More than 86,000 of them are, presumably, still out there.

Why? Because after they served their time in U.S. prisons their home countries refused to take them back!  Simple as that. Either no one in the ad

ministration noticed or they did not care that the only alternative left was to allow these convicts, who had long ago entered our country illegally, to stay here. No one in Washington forced the issue and demanded that their home countries take them back. It was like a big collective shoulder shrug within our  three branches of government.

We’re not talking about people who were caught jaywalking here. In fiscal year 2015, for example, ICE let loose on the American public 19,723 of these foreign born criminals. Together they accounted for more than 64,000 crimes. Crimes that very likely would not have happened on U.S. soil had our elected officials bothered to do something about our long standing immigration mess.

What did these illegal immigrants do? More than 800 of them committed robberies, 614 perpetrated sex offenses, 216 were found guilty of kidnapping and 196 of them murdered people.

One of those released in early 2015 is Jean Jacques of Haiti. He was convicted of attempted murder and several parole violations and served 17 years in the U.S. prison system.

Immigration & Customs Enforcement Released 87K Immigrant Criminals

ICE Has Released 86,000 Immigrant Criminals

The Haitian government refused three requests to take him back and Jacques was ultimately let loose in his adopted home state of Connecticut. Six months later he was back in court charged with murdering a 24-year-old woman named Casey Chadwick of Norwich, Connecticut. Jacques was found guilty last month.

How many more of these criminals have anonymously blended into a community and committed other violent crimes is anyone’s guess.

The situation raises enormously important questions. Where are the more than 86,000 convicts now? Has anyone at ICE been keeping track of them? What kind of diplomacy is underway to force countries to take back their criminal element?

Here are some suggestions should anyone in Washington with gumption decide to do something about this mess:

  • Identify these wrongly released people and ascertain their whereabouts immediately.
  • Inform their home countries that their convicted citizens are returning. No ifs, ands or buts.

    Anyone Here Got Gumption Enough?

    Anyone Here Got Gumption Enough?

  • For those countries that refuse delivery all U.S. financial aid is immediately halted.
  • For those countries that refuse to cooperate all legal immigration, personal and business travel and all commerce with the United States halts immediately.
  • Regular business with offending countries does not return to normal for at least 2 years after they accept the last criminal previously denied entry.
  • Obtain a written agreement with said country that they will never again refuse to accept the return of one of their citizens.

Congress continues to have sporadic hearings about this issue and a few lawmakers deliver stern sounding admonitions but nothing is ever accomplished. No immigration overhaul is in the works.

ICE Director Sarah Saldana told a house committee recently that because of a complex set of immigration laws and regulations her agents have little choice but to release these convicted immigrants while they wait for an immigration judge to rule on their status. With a backlog of almost half a million cases currently pending in immigration courts many (if not most) of these criminal immigrants could be free to roam our country for years before being ordered out of the country.

And then if their home country continues to deny them entry what will be this nation’s response? Another shoulder shrug?

It is way past time for immigration reform. The status quo is destroying this country on so many levels.

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20 Comments

  1. Diane Dimond on May 24, 2016 at 2:50 pm

    ABQ Journal Reader Max Sklower writes:

    “Hello again, Diane:

    I usually agree with some of what you are saying but your last article on immigration I agreed 100% with.

    What is of interest is that every time another illegal killed someone like the lady in San Francisco Trump got more voters. Same with the horrible massacre in northern California.

    Lets face the FACTS. The democrats want open borders and flooding this country with illegal immigrants for only one reason. That reason is not because they have sympathy for illegals. It is because they know these illegals will sooner or later and probably sooner 98% vote democrat thus killing chances of any republican from winning any elections.

    Obama among other things with his followers like Bill Ayers and Mr. Evil,George Soros VOWED OPENLY to do just that.

    So, looking it again as a generally knowledgeable conservative I see
    Hillary and any other democrat getting into any office continuing the push for more illegals in the country.

    No Vetting.. No Nothing. Just let them in.

    Also the sanctuary city is already bankrupting many cities and many states as per California and Arizona but the democrats keep insisting it is FAIR. The general media of course will not admit why or what it is.”

  2. Diane Dimond on May 24, 2016 at 2:51 pm

    Noozhawk Reader JamesGD writes:

    “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said federal immigration officials had been trying to deport Jacques since 2002, while he was in prison, but were unable to send him back to Haiti because the 40-year-old convicted felon could not produce identity documents to establish his citizenship there.”

    • Diane Dimond on May 24, 2016 at 2:51 pm

      Dear James,

      There are lots of other ways to prove where someone came from other than waiting for them to supply some documents. The United States of America is empowered in all sorts of ways – including stern diplomacy and deep dive internet research capabilities to firmly establish where someone has come from. Why we don’t focus more on that is a mystery to me. As I wrote its either because they don’t know or they don’t care. Either one is not acceptable. ~DD

      • Diane Dimond on May 24, 2016 at 2:52 pm

        Noozhawk Reader AN50 replies to JamesGD:

        I have to agree, though I believe it’s more they don’t care. We have a culture that has no idea what national sovereignty means, therefore no urgency about our national borders. But ask anyone if they would allow an uninvited person to just walk in their house and make themselves at home. Or how they would feel if a guest decided to just stay beyond an agreed time. I’ll bet most of the population would find that intolerable. Yet that is what fence and visa jumpers are doing, telling us our borders, laws and national sovereignty mean nothing and our indifference shows we agree. “

  3. Diane Dimond on May 24, 2016 at 2:52 pm

    Noozhawk Reader thekatd writes:

    “What needs to be done is to stop the incentives for the Illegal Invading Aliens to come and stay here. Stop sanctuary cities, stop anchor babies and make more use of e-verify. // (Also)
    Join numbersusa.com They are for lowering work visas, stopping anchor babies and making mandatory the use of e-verify, etc. They rate each politician on immigration issues and they have free faxes that you can send to the White House, your Senators and Representatives. It’s easy and free. Please join!!!
    Check out numbersusa.com and also your local anti-illegal immigration group. Feel free to repost.”

  4. Diane Dimond on May 24, 2016 at 2:53 pm

    Facebook Friend Kurt G. Kaner writes:

    “And this is what creates the Donald Trumps. People blame his rhetoric as divisive. True, but a void was left upon.

    The failure of government to secure its people. Really, the failure of government as a whole.

    The establishment; Republican and Democrats, are only truly interested in getting reelected.”

  5. Diane Dimond on May 24, 2016 at 2:53 pm

    Facebook Friend D.W. Billiot writes:

    “This is frightening and disgusting.”

  6. Diane Dimond on May 24, 2016 at 2:54 pm

    Twitter Pal Chrisahull writes:

    “@DiDimond Great article, as always Diane, it never ceases to amaze me the illogical approach some take, we are reaping the results of that!”

  7. Diane Dimond on May 24, 2016 at 2:54 pm

    Facebook Friend Donald Wilbert writes:

    “Good editorial this week, Diane!”

  8. Diane Dimond on May 24, 2016 at 2:55 pm

    Facebook Friend Sandi Chaykin Teller writes:

    “I still don’t understand why when they commit crimes they are not flown home and dumped in there country it’s cheaper than putting them in our jail.”

    • Diane Dimond on May 24, 2016 at 2:56 pm

      Facebook Friend Facebook Friend D.W. Billiot replys:

      “Because our jails, by and large, are run for profit. Having inmates makes money.”

  9. Diane Dimond on May 24, 2016 at 2:56 pm

    Facebook Friend Bill Voinovich writes:

    “Heard a story a few weeks ago that ICE was given a STAND DOWN ORDER & told NOT to arrest ANY ILLEGALS……Even the murderers….Just wanna know ONE THING…….
    WHAT THE HELL IS WASHINGTON DOING???????”

  10. Diane Dimond on May 24, 2016 at 2:57 pm

    Facebook Friend Sandi Chaykin Teller replies:

    “The house and congress can never agree on anything but you would this on this it would be a no brainer maybe names of the people who vote against strict laws should be posted so the people in their state and raise some hell!!”

  11. Diane Dimond on May 24, 2016 at 2:57 pm

    Florida Reader Karen Higgins writes:

    “Isn’t it amazing that the Credit Bureaus can tell the minute you cross state lines, and the US government can’t keep track of criminal aliens? Thanks for you excellent insight.”

  12. Diane Dimond on May 24, 2016 at 8:16 pm

    Facebook Friend Dawn Dix writes:

    “Sounds like the typical pointing of fingers…no it’s your fault…oh no, it’s YOUR fault, etc…”

  13. Diane Dimond on May 24, 2016 at 8:16 pm

    Facebook Friend Gordon Hamel writes:

    “Diane – this article MUST go viral – your recommendations are absolutely on target. I am proud to call you my friend.”

  14. Diane Dimond on May 24, 2016 at 9:15 pm

    Florida Times Union Reader WTKessler writes:

    ” Your article appeared in the Florida Times Union in Jacksonville, FL as “Poor immigration policy puts us at risk”. Thanks so much for an honest analysis on the immigration statistics and how many criminal aliens are released to do further harm. Your practical and obvious solutions should have been enacted decades ago and both political parties should be held accountable for their lack of attention to solving this huge problem. If Trump builds the wall, we can put them on the other side and close the door too. Even if we only enforced existing immigration laws, that would stem the flow.”

  15. Diane Dimond on May 26, 2016 at 3:33 pm

    Florida Times Union Reader W. Todd Kessler writes:

    “Your article appeared in the Florida Times Union in Jacksonville, FL as “Poor immigration policy puts us at risk”. Thanks so much for an honest analysis on the immigration statistics and how many criminal aliens are released to do further harm. Your practical and obvious solutions should have been enacted decades ago and both political parties should be held accountable for their lack of attention to solving this huge problem. If Trump builds the wall, we can put them on the other side and close the door too. Even if we only enforced existing immigration laws, that would stem the flow.”

  16. Diane Dimond on May 26, 2016 at 3:34 pm

    Facebook Friend Nancy Robel writes:

    “Big government is involved in a conspiracy to collapse America as we know it, on every level. It’s beyond frightening because it’s working and so far we are helpless to stop it. I think the American people have been asleep at the wheel. Or were we ever driving?”

  17. Diane Dimond on May 26, 2016 at 3:34 pm

    Facebook Friend Elaina Deva Proffitt writes:

    “Insane, sickening and frightening. Dangerous… the perpetrators have all the rights these days.”

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